ITN producer hails work experience

The executive producer at ITN productions, Derek Dyson, has hailed work experience as the “first rung” of the career ladder in the media industry.

Speaking to Journalism.co.uk, he shared his tips on how those after media jobs – London based or otherwise – can set themselves apart from the crowd.

Having strong work experience is the first step, Dyson revealed: “Work experience is now effectively the first rung of the ladder at most places. It’s a chance to network, add to your CV and most importantly spot the opportunities for work coming up.” What’s more, the potential is usually there to turn this experience into a proper job.

That will only come with hard work, though, as Dyson advised: “The aim should always be to make your services completely indispensable and always look for opportunities to show off your talents.”

Other advice from Dyson (also cited by Mediauk.com) included keeping CVs as simple – but relevant – as possible. Making a fancy, long CV won’t help a jobseeker stand out from the rest; in fact, it might put a potential employer off. Any inclusion of personal interests should relate to the job and don’t necessarily have to be included at all.

Being persistent is good too, as well as gaining feedback from any unsuccessful experiences. Although this could be a “horrible” task, it will help jobseekers adapt their approach for the future.